Barnaby could be ousted by Windsor if poll held today

RETIRED independent Tony Windsor could oust Barnaby Joyce if the pair went head to head in an election.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union poll of voters in the Agriculture Minister's New England seat also looked at workers' attitudes toward the China Free Trade Agreement.

The survey found Mr Joyce would come close to losing his seat to Mr Windsor and that 48% of voters in the area opposed the deal.

The CFMEU is ramping up its opposition to the agreement by releasing a television advertisement opposing the move, which national secretary Michael O'Connor says will "sell out" Aussie workers.

"The results are clear - the voters of New England detest the China Free Trade Agreement and the anti-Australian worker provisions in it," Mr O'Connor said.

"This agreement sells out Australian workers by allowing Chinese companies to bring in semi-skilled workers for the first time, and doing away with the requirement for employers to advertise for local labour first.

"New England voters would severely punish the Abbott Government for this and Barnaby Joyce could be one of the casualties."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott, in a speech to a Chinese-Australia business forum in Sydney last week, said his government was committed to the deal.

"A deal is a deal," Mr Abbott said.

"To amend one part is to reopen it all and we won't do that because it would put Australian businesses, Australian exports and Australia jobs at risk."